Apple gets an earful from Eminem

Everyone’s favorite white rapper has brought suit against Apple for allegedly selling his music in the iTunes store without his permission. The lawsuit was filed by Eminem’s publishing company, Eight Mile Style, on behalf of the allegedly exploited MC. Apple has been paying Shady Records/Interscope its standard royalty rate, but Eminem and his management claim that they never OK’d the agreement. Eminem/Eight Mile Style is asking for a lump sum of $75,000 for general copyright infringement, in addition to asking for up to $150,000 per infringement, i.e. each time a song is purchased and downloaded. Yikes! According to Joel Martin, a spokesperson for Eight Mile Style, Apple has repeatedly approached the company about licensing Eminem’s music, and has been repeatedly turned down. There’s been no comment from the Apple camp as usual.

Wasnt one of his songs used at a commericial for itunes/ipod/isomething?

eJay

Well I really am a big fan of Eminem but I guess cause hes not hot now he needs some more money, like he dont have enough. Screw him! Apple fanboy’s UNITE!

LOL ;)

ariel1

his not getting even a Mexican food stamp over this, his under universal music
which apple is under contract with apple, but it does not hert to try though, see he does not want to drop from itunes he just wants universal to slip him some more money since they are making so much out of itunes, put pressure on apple and apple will presurre universal music

gquaglia

Everyones favorite white rapper? This guy is a total no talent loser who got lucky. F’em

jordan brown

eJay listens to rap?

eJay

LOL thats ALL I listen to…

eJay

I’m actually listening to Cassidy’s new album The Answer on my iPhone as I type this ;)

test5477

another stupid lawsuit. He’s just a has been trying to get another “settlement” for doing nothing but tying up the legal system even more. what a douche.

victor

This is so late in the game. I would imagine he would have filed suit when it began… or at least after the commercial. And like they said he is prob using this to get money since he isn’t making any actual records. Now what if his parent company is selling his stuff then he should go after tyem but since apple is the big target you can go after them. Poor MM wonder if he has a melted in someones hand already… oh wait I meant mouth.

http://www.bgr.com The Boy Genius

I think it is more about fair use and the proper way of doing business. According to Eminems’s side, even though the music was licensed by his distributor Universal, it was never signed off on by his publishing company. The first ruffle with Apple was about them using one of his songs in an iPod commercial, again without proper licensing. It is really simple. Apple approached Eminem, and Eminem had never done a product endorsement so they wanted more money than Apple was offering. Apple said they would change the song and Eminem agreed on a price to license that song. Then I forget the details but something happened with Steve Jobs saying they needed to "rethink" their decision because Apple was too close to completing the ad campaign. Apple ran that ad with no license to do so. If anyone thinks Eminem is in need of money, I please ask you to rethink your thought….

http://www.jphotog.com Eric

$150,000 per infringement. Well, they Apple probably owes him $450,000.

I’m sure he needs the money to settle the lawsuit with his mother who sued him for misogynistic music.

victor

@TBG well maybe that is true but he could have stuck his guns earlier on. But since all legal battles take for ever this prob has been brewing for a while. Now musicians should get what they work for but the price or cost he is asking for sound high, at least in my poor mans mind, so could he be pulling a bit of the greed card?

Dan

Do we really need to say “Everyone’s favorite WHITE rapper”? Do we call Eddie Murphy or Chris Rock (or whoever) everyone’s favorite BLACK comedian? “Hey look, it’s Obama, my favorite BLACK democrat”. Good story, but drawing attention to the fact that the guy is white was unnecessary. I think we’re all a little past that by now,…aren’t we?

backbeat

On Aug 2, 2007 @ 10:47 am, eJay Said:

LOL thats [rap] ALL I listen to…

… And that says it all, folks!

Galvatron

he’s not pulling the greed card at all. th amount is to penelize apple. you made a comercial with my mus without my permission an lissencing. the recordcompany as well. doubt this i in mm’s contract. even then IF apple signed the dotted line they did not pay him royaltees or the fee for rights to use it in the AD. thats “breach of contract” as well as “copyright infringment” ie piracy ona grand scale. ironic the riaa goes afte consumers for this. llok like they are gonna have to shoot themselve in the foot or shoot apple in the foot. ethther way it’s “shenanigans!”

victor

@Galvatron Well then maybe he will win… for the interest of him as a businessman i hope so.

test5477

this has nothing to do with the commercial, they settled that out of court. I think he is just looking for more than the normal royalties paid to the publishers. Personally think he just wants a better deal than all the other artists out there, talk about an ego.
Probably use this “struggle” in one of his songs that again sound like another one of his songs.

they breakdown the .09 that all other publishers get, big difference between .09 and 150,000. what makes this guy so special, I think apple should make his track $10.00 to pay for his ego. still a douche.

Jordan

so does this mean we can download his song and he will get paid more?! haha

marvONE

The real issue here is whether or not eminem has total control over his masters and publishing. This could actually help apple who can in turn sue UMG(Universal Music Group) for licensing songs they aren’t allowed to, possible fraud and breach on contract maybe? This is will be very interesting to watch, and why is he only suing aplpe? other stores sell his music too.

Jeff B.

Ya know what F**K APPLE!!!! They’ve been using other artist’s music illegally too so it’s about damn time somebody sue their asses off. WAY 2 GO EMINEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

eJay

David Pogue Boy Genius, shouldn’t Eminem be suing his distributor then? They still had a contract with Apple so why sue Apple? You should really keep to reporting about Blackberry’s cause all this “other” news is getting played out.

eJay

And backbeat WTF is your problem?

backbeat

^ Still no reflective surfaces where you live, boy?

eJay

YOU GOT A PROBLEM WITH BLACK PEOPLE? AND DONT BE CALLING ME BOY CAUSE IM BLACK YOU RACIST CRACKER. WHST SHOULD I LISTEN TO ROCK MUSIC YOU RACIST PIECE OF CRAP

backbeat

I was referring to the content of your character [or the lack, thereof to be more precise]. I’ve never known nor acknowledged [nor cared to know] what race you are, nor is it relevant, boy.